Folder for sewing machines and the like



Oct. 19, 1937. H. J. LE VESCONTE 2,096,330

FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1936 MIA-MW I NVENTOR: Harold JLaMsmnfia, B Y

A TORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 19, I937 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFEC FOLDER FOR SEWINGMACHINES AND THE LIKE Harold J. Le Vesconte, Western Springs, 111., as,-

signor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois This invention relates to folders for sewing machines and thelike; and ithas reference more particularly to folders wherein twoopposing scrolls cooperate in concurrently and progressively folding thecontiguous edges of two juxtaposed the sewing machines for the formationof felled seams.

In the usual forms of folders of the type S1381 cifically referred to,the scrolls are fixed and their delivery ends so proportioned forpassage of cross seams through them instead of for the passage of thenormal fabric thickness. As a consequence of such proportioning of thedelivery ends of the scrolls, difficulty is experienced with the properguiding and folding of the fabric edges beneath the presser feet of thesewing machines, and hence, with securing compactly anduniformly-folded'felled seams.

My invention is directed toward overcoming this drawback, whichobjective I attain, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, byproportioning the scrolls with their delivery ends just large enough topass the normal fabric thickness, and by mounting them with capacity toyield outward independently and thus allow cross seams or other, fabricthickness irregularities to pass through them.

Other objects and attendant advantages of my invention will appear fromthe following description of the attached drawing, wherein Fig. I is aplan view of a folder for sewing machines and the like convenientlyembodying the present improvements.

Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I with a por- I tion of one of thescrolls broken away for exposure of underlying parts which wouldotherwise be hidden. 7

Fig. III is a cross sectional view through the folder taken as indicatedby the arrows III-III in Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a View of the folder partly in side elevation and partly insection taken as indii cated by the arrows IV-IV in Fig. I.

" fashioned from sheet metal with tapering portions 3 and 4 jointlydefining uni-directional attenuating channels 5 and 6. In passingthrough V the channels 5 and 6 as shown in Fig. III, the

a felled seam in a well known way.

contiguous edges of two juxtapositioned fabric sections F, F which areto be united, are progressively folded into interlapping relationincident to being guided to the stitching instrumentalities of a sewingmachine for the formation of In, accordance with my invention, thefolder is so proportioned that the delivery ends of the channels 5 and 6are just large enough for passage of the normal thickness of the fabricsections F, F through them. Accordingly, the fabric edges areinterlapped snugly and tightly and thus delivered from the folder devoidof distortion or unevenness, with pro-assurance of formation of aperfect seam by the sewing machine.

In addition to the scrolls I and 2, the folder comprises a plate I whichis adjustably secured, by a pair of screws 8, to a base or supportingpiece 9 adapted to fit over a suitable projection on the work plate ofthe sewing machine. From Figs. I, II, IV and V it will be observed thatthe scroll I is provided at its receiving end with a laterallyprojectingapertured ear III which engages a headed fulcrum stud II threaded intothe plate 'I. The scroll 2 on the other hand, is welded or otherwisepermanently secured to an arched bracket piece I2, see Fig. IV, which,at the receiving end of said scroll, has a pierced ear I3 in engagementwith a headed fulcrum screw M threaded into the plate 1 adjacent thescrew stud I1. Also threaded into the plate I is an anchorage screw studI5 for a coiled spring I6 whereof the ends are extended as shown at I?and I8 in Figs. II and IV. Also as shown in Figs. II and IV, the springends I! and I8 engage eyes I9 and 20 respectively on the scroll I and onthe bracket piece I2 adjacent the delivery ends of said scrolls, theoutward swing of the spring arms being limited respectively by stops 2|and 22 on the plate I with said scrolls held in the normally closedrelation shown in Figs. I-III.

By virtue of the described construction, it will be evident that thescrolls I and 2 are free to swing independently outward on their pivotsII and I4 as shown in Figs. V and VI in opposition to the spring I6, incompensating for the passage of cross seams or other thicknessirregularities of the fabric sections F, F through them. Immediatelyupon passage of such fabric thickness irregularities, the scrolls I and2 are urged toward each other by the spring I 6 and resume the normalpositions shown in Figs. IIII. Under these circumstances, perfectcontrol is had over the fabric sections F, F regardless of thicknessvariations in them,with resultant pre-assurance of the delivery at alltimes of a tightlyinterlapped fold and the formation of a compact andeven felled seam by the stitch instrumentalities of the sewing machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A folder for sewing machines and the like, comprising a pair ofopposing scrolls jointly providing attenuating uni-directionalinterlapping channels for interfolding contiguous fabric edges incidentto passage of the latter through the folder; a common support on whichthe scrolls are mounted with capacity for independent lateral movementto compensate for cross seams and other fabric thickness variations; andyielding means for urging the scrolls toward each other.

2. A folder for sewing machines and the like, comprising a pair ofopposing scrolls jointly providing attenuating uni-directionalinterlapping channels for interiolding contiguous fabric edges incidentto passage of the latter through the folder; a common support to whichthe scrolls are pivoted with capacity for independent lateral movementto compensate for cross seams and other fabric thickness variations; andyielding means for urging the scrolls toward each other.

3. A folder for sewing machines and the like,

comprising a pair of opposing scrolls jointly providing attenuatinguni-directional interlapping channels for interfolding contiguous edgesincident to passage of the latter through the folder; a common supportto which the scrolls are pivoted at their receiving ends with capacityfor independent lateral movement to compensate for cross seams and otherfabric thickness variations; and yielding means for urging the deliveryends of the scrolls toward each other.

4. A folder for sewing machines and the like, comprising a pair ofopposing scrolls jointly providing attenuating uni-directionalinterlapping channels for interfolding contiguous fabric edges incidentto passage of the latter through the folder: a common support to whichthe scrolls are pivoted at their receiving ends with capacity forindependent lateral swinging movement tocompensate for cross seams andother fabric thickness variations; a coiled spring having a central loopanchored on the support and having its ends extended and engagingprojections at the delivery ends of said scrolls thereby to urge saidscrolls toward each other.

HAROLD J. LE VESCONTE.

